BARROW AREA COMMITTEE Minutes of a Meeting of the Barrow Area Committee held on 24 September 1996 at 11.00 am at The Town Hall, Barrow in Furness. PRESENT Mr W Smith (Chairman) Mrs A Burns Mr G Sear Mr K R Hamilton Mr G E Smith Mr A M Horne Mr S F Stevens Ms J A Murphy Mrs A M Tait Mr J R Richardson Mrs H Young 22 TERMS OF REFERENCE The Terms of Reference of Area Committees, which had been approved by the Policy Direction and Advisory Sub-Committee on 4 September 1996 (Minute 27(1)) were noted. 23 APOLOGIES Apologies for absence were received from Mr P Phizacklea. 24 ADMISSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC RESOLVED, that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the item concerning School Crossing Patrols (Minute 44) on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act: 25 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION The County Council had agreed at its meeting on 17 July 1996 that the public participation scheme be extended to Area Committees in relation to those functions specifically delegated to them. There were no public questions, deputations or petitions relating to the business of the Committee on this occasion. 26 MINUTES The Minutes of the Special Meeting of the Committee held on 18 July 1996 were confirmed and thereupon signed by the Chairman. 1 vmt/bac/min/240996 27 DEVOLUTION TO AREA COMMITTEES OF FUNCTIONS CURRENTLY DEALT WITH BY THE ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT CONTROL AND REGULATION COMMITTEES The Director of Economy and Environment submitted a report which covered the functions of the Economy and Environment and Development Control and Regulation Committees which were to be devolved to the Area Committee from 1 April 1997. These further matters to be devolved covered a substantial range of functions covering highway maintenance, traffic management, public transport and planning applications for County Council developments, and the report provided details of the services involved and discussed the issues involved in devolving them to the Area Committee. Members considered that given the substantial content of this item consideration of the report be deferred for discussion in detail at a special meeting. RESOLVED, that a special meeting of the Committee be held to consider the report by the Director of Economy and Environment on 4 October 1996 at 10.00 am at the Town Hall, Barrow. 28 MILLOM - ASKAM BRIDGE A595 The Director of Economy and Environment reported that after considering a report about the Consultants Study of Solway and Morecambe Bay the Economy and Environment Committee on 23 October 1995 (Minute 79) had agreed there was a need to consider further a Millom - Askam Bridge improvement. He explained that although construction of a bridge across the Duddon Estuary was feasible in engineering terms, both the environmental and capital costs would be very high. However, the Department of Transport were known to be considering the project as a Private Finance Initiative candidate scheme. Members referred to the need to improve communication along the whole of the west coast and considered that a Duddon Bridge crossing would form a very important communication link. RESOLVED, that the Economy and Environment Committee be RECOMMENDED to commission a feasibility study of the Millom - Askam Bridge improvement as soon as possible, and that, if possible, the study be carried out by in-house consultants. 29 BARROW AREA JOINT POLICY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (1) The Minutes of the meetings of the Barrow Area Joint Policy Advisory Committee held on 5 July and 6 September 1996 were received. (2) Arising from Minute 20 - Enforcement of On-Street Car Parking RESOLVED, that amendment of the on-street parking orders in the Agency Area to include the following provision be approved:- 2 vmt/bac/min/240996 (a) a ten minute "initial" period in Resident Only Parking Places during which the general motorist is permitted to park. Only vehicles displaying a valid Resident Only Parking Permit would be permitted to park beyond this 10 minute period; (b) the ten minute rule be strictly enforced throughout this period and there be a review of this provision after a period of three months following which the ten minute rule could be amended, if necessary; (c) for all other limited waiting parking places the initial period will be either one hour or two hours according to the restriction in force. Resident exemption certificates will continue to be valid in order to allow residents unlimited parking; (d) an initial charge of zero will be set for the initial period of parking (ie ten minutes, one hours or two hours); (e) an excess charge of £50 (reduced to £20 if paid within 14 days) will be set for motorists who do not comply with the restrictions. (3) Policy Committee at its meeting on 12 September (Minute 40(2)) had agreed that Area Committees be encouraged to invite the local Council of Voluntary Service to be a standing member of the Joint Policy Advisory Committee. RESOLVED, that this recommendation be noted and reconsidered at a future date. 30 BOOKS FOR BABIES At Minute 38 of 7 February 1995 the Committee had supported, and allocated £4,097 towards, a promotional strategy in the Barrow Area aimed at children under 3 entitled "Books for Babies". The County Heritage Services Officer reported that the scheme had been enthusiastically supported and received and had been very successful. There had been a large increase in the number of children under 3 that had become and remained active members of the Library, and in many cases other members of the family had also been encouraged to join the Library. In view of this success, it was hoped to extend the scheme to include children under 4 years of age and to employ short-term project workers to target places where take-up was lower. The Committee strongly supported this scheme and welcomed its proposed expansion. However, the Committee’s budget for the current financial year was fully committed and they were unable to offer any financial support at this time. 3 vmt/bac/min/240996 RESOLVED, that the intention to extend the Books for Babies project to 3 year olds be supported in principle and be included in the 1997/98 budgetary considerations. 31 MINUTES OF PRIORITY 4 WORKING PARTY (1) The Minutes of the meetings of the Priority 4 Working Party held on 30 May and 3 July 1996 were noted. (2) Arising from the Minutes, the Priority 4 Development Officer advised the Committee that the Priority 4 scheme as it now existed would cease on 31 December 1996, following which it would be replaced by a Priority 3 scheme. In the meantime the expiry date for all applications under the current Priority 4 scheme had been announced as 27 September. He explained that there would be an underspend in the Priority 4 monies allocation but this would be carried forward, although the mechanism was unclear at this stage. RESOLVED, that the report be noted. 32 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (1) Under 5s Budget It was noted that the total 1996/97 budget of £245,148 had been allocated. Members were concerned that the Committee received proper recognition for the assistance which it provided for all projects in the Area. To date this had mainly been to assist and extend provision for the Under 5s and they were unhappy that the Committee’s significant financial contribution towards one new nursery class in particular had not been recognised, as they would have wished. RESOLVED, that officers note the need for particular attention be paid to the Area Committee receiving appropriate recognition of its role in assisting and furthering projects in the Area. (2) Local Economic Initiatives It was noted that £35,500 general and £12,000 Priority 4 monies remained to be allocated in the Local Economic Strategies budget. It was also noted that this budget provision was time limited to May 1997. 33 GRANT APPLICATION - SOUTH CENTRAL BARROW CREDIT UNION The Priority 4 Development Officer reported that South Central Barrow Credit Union was seeking to extend it boundary to include most of Barrow, and it was intended to computerise the existing manual record system in 4 vmt/bac/min/240996 order to cope with the additional administration. The total cost of the proposed computer package was £1,485 and the Credit Union were seeking a grant from the Area Committee. Barrow Borough Council had awarded a grant of £650 towards the equipment. RESOLVED, that a grant of £750 be awarded to the South Central Barrow Credit Union towards the costs of a computer system, to be met from the Economic Initiatives general allocation. 34 PRIORITY 4 COMMUNITY CHEST The Priority 4 Development Officer reported that establishment of a ’community chest’ funded by a block grant of ERDF with matching local funding would enable local groups to access European funds for small projects through a much simplified procedure. He described in detail the concept of a community chest for the Barrow Priority 4 wards. The Priority 4 Members Working Party had agreed in principle to support an application for a Priority 4 ERDF grant of £25,000 towards an overall community chest of £50,000. It was intended that applicants to the chest would contribute 25% of the cost of their project; 25% would be met jointly by the Borough Council and the Area Committee and 50% met from European funding. Members supported the proposal and it was RESOLVED, that (1) £6,250 be allocated to the Priority 4 (Barrow) community chest from the Priority 4 budgetary allocation, subject to (a) a similar grant being awarded by Barrow Borough Council and; (b) the Members Working Party agreeing details of the Scheme (2) the County Council act as applicants for a Priority 4 ERDF grant of £25,000 towards an overall community chest of £50,000.